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Rail fares for season ticket holders have increased by an average of 4.2% as the annual price hike, announced in August, comes into effect.

Overall, ticket prices have gone up by 3.9% in England, Wales and Scotland, but rises vary between train operators.

The TUC has claimed average train fares have risen nearly three times faster than average incomes since 2008.

Transport minister Norman Baker said the government had intervened to ensure fare rises were capped at about 4%.

"Regulated" rail fare increases - which include season tickets for most commuter journeys and off-peak fares on most intercity routes - are calculated by using the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation plus an additional percentage.

An off-peak day return between Bristol and St Austell in Cornwall has risen in price from £53.10 to £75.60 - a rise of 40%

The cost of an annual ticket from Banbury to London has risen by 5.98%, an increase of £284, according to Chiltern Railways

An unregulated return between Birmingham and London went up by 10%, although it only adds £2.50 to the fare

Some tickets will rise by as little as 2.3% while one ticket, from Shenfield, Essex, to London will be £16 cheaper, at £2,704, a 0.6% drop.

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Norman Baker: "By and large, the railways perform quite well"

Meanwhile, rail fares in West Yorkshire are rising by 6.2% - more than the national average.

West Yorkshire Metro, the county's public transport provider, said the rail prices reflected the extra 3% agreed in 2006 to provide 1,700 additional seats on peak-time train services to and from Leeds.

But independent campaign group Railfuture said there was "huge frustration" among passengers in the region.

'Truly shocking'

The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) and Railfuture have both calculated that some rail fares have increased by 50% or more in the past 10 years.

He said: "The impact of successive governments' policies on rail fares is appalling.

"We have deliberately made getting the train to work an extravagance that many struggle to afford. The time has come not just to stop the rises but to reduce fares."

The group have launched a petition calling on government to end the above-inflation formula used for determining the annual rise and commit to reducing fares relative to inflation.

The TUC's Action for Rail campaign said rail passengers will be paying more for a lesser service, as rail operators begin to implement job cuts as part of plans to save £3.5bn across the rail industry by 2019.

'Running costs'

Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC and chairwoman of Action for Rail, said: "At a time when real wages are falling and household budgets are being squeezed, rail travellers are being forced to endure yet another year of inflation-busting fare increases.

"As well as having to shell out record amounts of money for their tickets, passengers also face the prospect of travelling on trains with fewer staff and having less access to ticket offices. They are being asked to pay much more for less."

The chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc), Michael Roberts, said it is the government that decides how much the annual average season ticket rise will be.

"Successive governments have required train companies to increase the average price of season tickets every January since 2004 by more than inflation.

"Ministers want passengers to pay a larger share of railway running costs to reduce the contribution from taxpayers while sustaining investment in better stations, new trains and faster services," he insisted.

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Edward Welsh, ATOC: "Passenger satisfaction has steadily improved .... but there is more we need to do"

Labour shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said rail fare hikes had come as a "nasty new year shock" for many commuters and accused Prime Minister David Cameron of breaking a promise that rail fares would not rise by more than 1% above inflation.

She said: "The government should come clean with commuters that this is a direct result of their decision to cave in to pressure from the private train companies to let them hike ticket prices beyond the so-called cap."

Transport 'overhaul' plea

The shadow transport secretary said Labour would "strictly enforce the fare cap on every route and restore the ban on train companies imposing higher increases".

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans has warned that train travel is becoming "increasingly unaffordable" for families and called for a "major overhaul to our transport system".

Chief executive Malcolm Shepherd said: "Many are facing a stark choice, fork out for expensive train travel, own a car and cut back on essentials, or stay put and miss out on jobs and opportunities."

Comment number 809.

45minutewarning2nd January 2013 - 14:46

618 - A rail passenger "strike" sounds like a good idea to me. Those who can should use some other form of transport for a week - preferably cars so all those motorists complaining about "subsidising" rail travel will see the alternative -traffic jams, longer delays and fewer parking spaces. A weeks strike should recover some of the money the've stolen from us in the fare rises

Comment number 808.

Little Welsh Dragon2nd January 2013 - 14:44

286.Dr Feelgood I work in London, no one lives within driving distance of where I work other than millionaires. Driving into London is not a viable alternative, neither is getting the bus. Trains are the only choice, they are overcrowded, dirty, late at least once a week and cost me over £300 per month for the luxury of standing room only.

Comment number 807.

Railman2nd January 2013 - 14:44

@Ben92 - I can still find plenty of discounted advance fares between South London and Lincoln, I suggest you look a bit harder.

@matt - The people on platforms with batons and whistles are there to assist with safe dispatch of the train, Google into what happened at James Street Station in Liverpool to see why they are there, for your safety.

Comment number 806.

Andy MComment number 806 is an Editors' Pick2nd January 2013 - 14:43

If the prices continue rising above inflation I will have to start driving to work - using an extra 750 gallons of diesel per annum.When balancing convenience and comfort it's roughly a draw.It is a simple choice of cost v pollution - so I choose the train.If prices rise above inflation much more it won't be a choice I can afford - I'll be forced down the pollution path.

Comment number 803.

ToryBoy2nd January 2013 - 14:39

The Rail companies operate to maximize earnings for their shareholders, customers are their cash cows.Ripping off customers is a well established practice and can, in this case, be traced back to the disastrous Thatcherite inspired privatization/deregulation fiasco.The industry is receiving more subsidy now than when it was in the public sector.The downhill spiral will continue.

Comment number 802.

Comment number 801.

Crolie2nd January 2013 - 14:37

Having previously worked in the rail industry I feel sorry for the frontline staff who, through no fault of their own, will suffer regular abuse from commuters. Having subsequently also worked for DfT I feel sorry for the poor mug who now has my old job and has to reply to all the moaning correspondence. I'm now self employed, much poorer and happier!

Comment number 798.

matt2nd January 2013 - 14:36

part 2 Then there are the station staff that do pretty much nothing excpet blow their whistles or raise their hand when a train is pulling away. Then there are a few that stand at the bottom of the stairs that takes you to a bridge over the track. Again they do not do alot. Then there is a cleaner. What surpised me most was that Greater anglia then advisertised for a volunteer station gaurdian

Comment number 797.

Ppuj2nd January 2013 - 14:35

How can anyone think train fares are too high? Surrey to City of London for the equivalent of £6.40 per day is extremely reasonable I think. Certainly beats driving and definitely less stressful. I reckon the train companies are pretty good and well priced. Thameslink trains seem a bit hit and miss but generally ok still. I just wish there were more first class seats.

Comment number 796.

Marleyman2nd January 2013 - 14:31

When I need to invest in my company's ''infrastructure'' & improve it's service to our customers the shareholders in the company put their hands in their pockets and come up with the money. We then reap the benefit of our investment. If I forced our customers to pay for our improvements with no benefit to them, how long would my business last?

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